Release of XOOPS Cube 2.1 alpha

XOOPS Cube 2.1 is first major update version of the XOOPS Cube project. Please use 2.1 alpha for evaluation and trial purpose only so that it may have some bugs and specification of the XOOPS Cube 2.1 would be changed in some parts. Please do NOT use it on public website.

Features:Looking of XOOPS Cube for users 2.1 is almost same expect admin menus and default theme, but there are many differences from XOOPS 2.0.x in internal process (for developers).

1)Render systemIn XOOPS Cube 2.1, 'Render system' integrates the theme engine and the template engine. Users may change and develop their own Render system on their needs. By adopting 'Render System' users can develop W3C interchangeable website, put priority on accessibility or continue to use current themes of XOOPS 2.0.x. In this release, Render System (Renderer) which enables themes of XOOPS 2.0.x. works in XC 2.1 included in the package.

2) Delegate / Pre-load mechanismIn the XOOPS Cube 2.1, delegate process has been uniformed. It works delegate process for usual program. Also, it is used as a means to have replacement capabilities without modifying an old structure to large extent. With the Delegate function and Preload mechanism, it will include specified files to add process in common.php, users easily share hacks of XOOPS Cube.

3) ModulesIn XOOPS Cube 2.1, all modules in XOOPS 2.0.x exclude the system module have been removed. Function of "User management (user)" and Private message is not included in new system module so that these function is going to new modules.To use modules of XOOPS 2.0.x, it is necessary to install "Base module" before use of the 'legacy' modules.The system module will be removed in final release of the XOOPS Cube 2.1. All functions of the system module will be transplanted to 'legacy module'. In this alpha release, the transplant is in midstream and some bug fixes are still remaining, the system module is included in the package to keep operation smoothly.

4) Renewal of administration areaDesign of administration area has been renewed, by using the new rendering engine, theme and template. Themes in administration area has override mechanism, which enable designer easily modify themes just using difference file in new theme.

New modules (base, user, pm, legacyRender, stdCache) has design to fit new administration area. Also, codes in modules are renewed with MVC structure.

Administration menu has simple online help. 'Action Search' function has been added to enable keywords search of help files and functions in administration area.

Various things are added besides the above-mentioned.

Attentions and knowing problems:- 'Base module' will be renamed to 'Legacy module' in beta release. - Some XOOPS 2 modules can not be installed by dependence on X2's global variables. We will ask some developers to modify their modules. - When you update a module, its preferences are lost always. - Some features of misc.php would not work. 'SSL Login', 'Tell a friends' and 'Avatar list' are disabled. Avatar list is moved to the user module. - New template manager is in test status. A user can not crate a new template file from diff. And, it can not be uploaded and downloaded from administration menu. - There is not upgrade scripts. It will be offered at Beta release. - Until system module will be ported completely, it is kept. Therefore, there is some redundant commands and functions in system module and base module. - IIS users might not be able to install a module that has a sql file. We are wellcome reports about it from IIS users. - 'Theme select', can not work.

As we wrote, this release may have some bugs. Specifications of XOOPS Cube 2.1 may be changed in future releases. The XOOPS Cube 2.1 alpha is just for experiments use. We recommend to use this release in local machine, not on public server.